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The California group of arboviruses are now recognized as a significant cause of encephalitis in children. Fifty children with California encephalitis were seen at Columbus Children's Hospital between 1966 and 1970. The illness characteristically began abruptly with fever, lethargy, vomiting, and progressive encephalitic findings during the first two to four days and with recovery in seven to ten days. Focal neurologic findings were present in 20% and electroencephalograms revealed asymmetrical delta-wave activity in 40% of the children during the acute phase of the illness.

Three female siblings aged 6, 4, and 2 years with the clinical syndrome of chronic granulomatous disease had frequent hospital admissions for serious bacterial infections, including pneumonia, liver abscesses, pyoderma, keratoconjunctivitis, draining adenitis, septicemia, and anemia. All three children were immunologically competent. Liver biopsy specimens in two of the three showed "chronic granulomatous reaction." Polymorphonuclear leukocytes from the patients showed impaired bactericidal ability when incubated with Staphylococcus aureus. Their leukocytes showed decreased ability to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye compared with normal cells. The X-linked mode of transmission found in males with fatal chronic granulomatous disease is unlikely in these cases even if the Lyon hypothesis is considered. An autosomal locus acting either as homozygous recessive or dominant with variable expression would explain the occurrence of this disorder in females.

Fifty-one children with mumps meningoencephalitis were studied. The disease occurred throughout the year, with higher frequency in boys. The disease was of short duration and was generally benign. Parotitis accompanied meningoencephalitis in 47% of the patients. Appropriate serologic studies and/or recovery of virus from cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, urine, or washings of throat swabs are essential for the diagnosis of mumps meningoencephalitis in the absence of parotitis. All children recovered uneventfully and follow-up examinations of 33 children 4 to 40 months after the onset of meningoencephalitis showed no neurological sequelae or hearing loss. Serum amylase concentration was found to be elevated in the presence of parotitis and generally normal in primary mumps meningoencephalitis.

Generalized infections or encephalitis due to herpesvirus are being recognized with increasing frequency. Recognition of these infections is facilitated by a high index of suspicion, by careful history of contacts with herpesvirus infection during the perinatal period, and by familiarity with clinical syndromes compataible with such infections. Diagnosis is confirmed by isolation of virus from blood or tissues; however, isolation of herpesvirus from other specimens may be helpful. The prognosis in patients with generalized herpesvirus infections or encephalitis is so dismal that early confirmation of diagnosis is indicated. Biopsy specimens should be studied by direct viral isolation procedures, fluorescent antibody techniques, and microscopic examination for characteristic intranuclear inclusions. Therapeutic trials with idoxuridine (IDU) and supportive measures deserve further study.

The outstanding editors and authors of Clinical Virology many of whom are authorities in the subject present a comprehensive volume in clinical aspects of viral diseases. The introduction to the basic characteristics of viruses is quite brief but well written and the author summarizes much information that has recently become available in this rapidly expanding field.The book is divided into ten parts according to the body system in which the predominant manifestations of the disease present. In most chapters the authors give a complete description of clinical disease as well as discussion of laboratory diagnosis and pathophysiology followed by a section describing the virology, epidemiology, and prophylaxis. In most instances, the information is current, timely, and clinical descriptions are excellent.Chapter 60 of Part X is of special interest to pediatricians. In this chapter, the author discusses the prenatal, transnatal, and postnatal viral diseases. This chapter contains information